Spoiling Your Parents

Removing the blockages that prevent the flow of love

Luke 4:21-23, 28-30

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

          Do you know who are the hardest people to love? You might think they are Islamic terrorists like ISIS or the Taliban. Maybe it’s hardest to love your boss at work, or a co-worker who’s trying to take your job. Maybe it’s really hard to love Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton these days because they’re all we see on T.V.! But believe it or not, I think the hardest people to love are those we live with, our own family; not those who live halfway around the world, but those who live halfway down the hall.

          Many of you know that I just spent a two week vacation with my parents. Part of the vacation we drove from Little Rock to Orlando, Florida. It’s wasn’t “Driving Mrs. Daisy,” it was “Driving Mr. AND Mrs. Daisy”! Morgan Freeman has nothing on me. But over the course of those two weeks something very special happened to me: I fell in love with my parents again. I noticed that all their quirks and quarrels didn’t upset me or irritate me so much anymore. In fact, I even began to enjoy them. Hanging out with my parents is kind of like watching “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “All In the Family” and “Seinfeld” all in one show! But what made it possible for me to love my parents was the realization that I needed to change. I needed to get rid of my critical and condescending attitude and adopt a more respectful and even reverent one. It used to be that when I went home, I wanted my parents to spoil me and take care of me. But I’ve learned now that when I go home I need to spoil my parents and take care of them. You see, the blockage of love was not in their heart, but in my heart, and I needed a sort of spiritual by-pass surgery. What makes it hard to love others is not something in them; it’s something in us, in our heart.

          In the gospel today, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, maybe he needed a two-week vacation, too. And what does Jesus find? He encounters a similar blockage of love in the heart, in the hearts of his own family members. Jesus says, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Then, the gospel goes on to say: “The people…were filled with fury…and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built to hurl him down headlong.” Now, let me ask you: WHY did the people find it so hard to love Jesus? Was the problem something in Jesus, or was it something in the people? Obviously, it was something in the people, but they couldn’t see it. Just like I realized that my real difficulty in loving my parents was not in them but in me, so too, the people find it hard to love Jesus because he’s no longer the cute carpenter, the son of Joseph, who lived down the street. Rather, he has returned as the Messiah, someone whom they needed to follow as his disciples, and their hearts were not humble enough to love and follow him. The hardest part of following Jesus is not because of something in Jesus, but because of something in us, in our hearts.

          This week is Catholic Schools Week, and I am so pleased we have a Catholic school here at I.C. Church! Aren’t you?? I want to share with you, in our students’ own words, what they learn here, especially how they’ve learned the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Those habits do not just touch their minds, but also change their hearts. Just listen to our students. Natalie Hill said, “Being proactive means doing things before the teacher asks you to do it.” By the way, her mom is one of our teachers! Andrew Hahn said, “Being proactive means to find something to do for fun when there’s no one to play with, and do what I’m supposed to without anyone telling me to do it.” Good job, Andrew! Isabella Kindrick said, “Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind, teaches me to study before a test so that I can make a 100%.” And she does, too! Ann Marie Kersh said, “Habit 3, Put First Things First” means do your homework first before you go outside to play.” Now, everyone knows you said that, Ann Marie. Sorry! Dalila Benavides said, “I mostly demonstrate Habit #3 by doing my homework then reading a book.” Folks, she reads books for fun – she will probably grow up to cure cancer.

          Carson Lane said “Think Win-Win is helping others to win and not just thinking about yourself winning everything.” Thanks for letting others win sometimes, Carson – that’s very big of you.  Kaitlin Seiter said, “I listen to the people in my group, then I share my idea.” Would that more parents did that: listen first, talk second! Benjamin Beland said, “I demonstrate Habit #5 by listening to people and not interrupting.” Emily Harris said, “Synergizing is important because we get to know each other when we work together.” And Austin Hughes added, “Synergizing is working together to solve problems and seeing the bigger picture.” Folks, how many people here can even spell “synergize”?? Finally, Abby Hunter, who graduated last year, said, “Sharpening the saw is taking care of ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually.” But do you see what’s happening in a Catholic school? We’re doing open-heart surgery! By teaching Catholic Christian values, we’re delicately removing those blockages in their hearts that prevent the flow of love. So that our students’ hearts can love their parents and someday spoil them, so their hearts can love Jesus and humbly be his disciples – instead of throwing him off a cliff! – and so that their hearts can love even their enemies.  In Catholic schools we teach our students that if you find it hard to love someone, the problem is not in them, it’s in you, in your heart.

          Last week I looked at Fr. Andrew Hart’s Facebook page – and you know it’s hard to love him because he’s a Cubs fan. But he shared this quote by Thomas Merton. Listen carefully. Merton said: “So instead of loving what you think is peace, love others and love God above all. And instead of hating the people you think are warmakers, hate the appetites and the disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed – but hate these things in yourself, not in another.” Thomas Merton was not only a good contemplative monk; he was also a decent heart surgeon. And I’m sure Thomas Merton would have spoiled his parents, too.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!